Secret Stash
by birdie7272
Summary: Nine x Rose. One-shot fluff ficlet.


"Doctor?" Rose jogged into the console room and leaned against the railing, watching him tinkering with his toys. She threw her hands over her chest and waited for him to answer and shook her head when he didn't, rolling her eyes and sighing out loud at his rudeness. "Are you ignoring me?"

"Yes, yes. You look very pretty today. Pretty as you always do. For a human, of course."

She giggled as her stomach flipped in that way it always did when he sort-of complimented her and rolled her eyes even harder as she said, "That's not what I asked. What're you doing?"

"Nothing your tiny human brain could understand."

"Tiny human brain?"

"Oh don't give me that look." He didn't even look up to see the scowl she gave him. "You understand you wouldn't be able to understand which makes your tiny brain that much more not tiny."

"Mhmm. Well I guess if I'm just too tiny to understand I'll have to go see if I can find some more then."

"Hmmm? Good. Do that." He hissed when the wires in his hands spurted with electricity.

"I mean it's not every day you find someone's secret stash. I'll just have to ask the TARDIS to help me find more..."

"Yup. Sounds fantastic. Go do- Wait." He finally caught onto her bait, "Which secret stash?"

"Oh, so there _is_ more than one?!"

"Don't go sticking your nose everywhere-"

"What are you worried about? My tiny human brain probably won't even be able to find them all. What're you hiding anyway?"

"Rose, I didn't- Rose? Rose, where are you going?!"

Rose full on laughed and mentally asked the TARDIS for a tiny bit of help in making the Doctor squirm. She felt that guiding light tingle behind her lids every time she blinked and the ship helped her reach a new room, a room she had never seen before.

The outside was a simple wooden door, much like the door to her bedroom, but behind it was a plastic screen hiding the brightest room she had found yet on board. Above was not a sun -as the light suggested- but a roof wired with sprinklers and more plastic, much like that inside a greenhouse, and with good reason. The entire room was wall to wall filled with flowers.

These weren't just any flowers. These were her _favorite_ flowers from Trionla, a planet they had stopped for one of his many toys but didn't stay long. While they were at the market she had caught sight of them and instantly knew she loved them.

They were small green bulbs when left alone in the soil or vase but would instantly bloom the moment someone touched them. The green would grow and expand into gorgeous, giant, white petals that delicately drooped around the holder's hand. When the petal's reached the skin they would emit a tingle that heated every bit they touched, just enough warmth without damaging the flower.

Rose did not like flowers often, for obvious reasons, but she really wondered at these. The Doctor had lent her the credit stick to buy one but, as he warned, they did not last long out of the ground. They were just like any other flower in that respect.

She bent down and touched one growing near her feet and smiled wide when the petals fell open, curling around the back of her hand and instantly heating her knuckles.

"What do you think you're doing?" The Doctor asked from the door, whisking away the plastic and crossing his arms over his chest at her. "A secret stash is a secret for a reason. Do I have to explain that to you?" He seemed to be yelling both at Rose and at the TARDIS.

"Where did you get all these?" Rose laughed as she turned and ran a hand over the next plant, watching it open as the one she let go slowly started to close. "I just found your stash of banana flavored jam –which is disgusting by the way- I didn't know about these. Why're they here? How come I didn't know about them?"

The Doctor shrugged, "It was nothing difficult. Just throw seeds and let the TARDIS do the rest."

"So it was you then?"

"Do I look like I got a green thumb to you?"

Rose had already made her way to him, petting one of the flowers that raised to her hip, letting the petals fall and brush against the side of his jacket. With a tongue that somehow managed to wiggle between her teeth, she smiled up at him and asked, "Are these for me then?"

He stubbornly remained silent -which was just as good an answer for her- and she let the flower go to wrap him up in a hug. He jumped at the touch but slowly slid his hands around her back and rested his lips atop her head.

"Thank you," She whispered into his shoulder.

"Anything for that smile, Rose." She smiled harder into his shoulder and he squeezed her tight once more before letting her go and turning towards the door. "Come on then! We have to introduce your palette to the wonders of banana jam and peanut butter toast!"

Rose smiled and looked around the room once more, breathing in the sweet smell the flowers gave and the lingering leather in the air surrounding her. Trying, but failing, to contain her blush she ran after him.

"I think my palette is feeling rather antisocial!"


End file.
